WAYNESBORO – The Waynesboro Maidens varsity softball team has made it customary to pour on the runs against the competition.
But on a breezy Monday afternoon on its home field, Waynesboro was on the other end of a high-scoring game. The Maidens fell behind 10-0 to Northern York, and it appeared the contest was headed for a 10-run rule outcome after five innings.
Suddenly, the Maidens’ offense came to life, but not in time to put together a comeback for the ages. The Polar Bears shook off a barrage of Waynesboro runs in a 13-9 Mid-Penn Colonial Division win.
Not only was Northern charmed at the plate, but starting pitcher Grace Singer was working on a no-hitter through three innings while the offense was ringing up runs and hits like it would need them later on.
After a scoreless first inning, the Polar Bears struck first, scoring two runs on two hits, two walks and an error. It could have been worse for Maidens starting pitcher Michelle Baker, who faced 23 batters between the second and fourth innings. Northern left the bases loaded.
Singer struck out two batters in the bottom of the second and fanned another in the third frame.
The Polar Bears erupted for eight runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a commanding 10-0 lead. Ashley Miller hit a two-run single, Tayler Yoder belted a two-run double and Hannah Keith swatted a two-run home run as Northern sent 11 batters to the plate.
With their backs against the wall, the Maidens didn’t stop trying to make it a game. The momentum turned squarely in Waynesboro’s favor as they solved Singer and plated three runs. Riley Shetler led off the inning with a home run. Alex Monk singled home Abby McElroy and Lydia Shank doubled to score Monk.
The 10-run rule was in play again in the top of the fifth when Northern’s Samee Magee hit a three-run home run to make the score 13-3.
But the Maidens still weren’t conceding. They scored four runs in the home half of the fifth, and after failing to score in the sixth stanza, Waynesboro tallied two more runs in the seventh and then left two runners on base.
Trysta Bricker singled and scored on a bases-loaded walk. Then, Monk hit a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double. Shank added two RBIs in the seventh with a two-run double.
The loss drops Waynesboro’s record to 1-3. The Maidens play at Greencastle-Antrim Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. in a league game.
